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SANITATION

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Be CLEAN and SANITARY during a viral outbreak!

This means reducing litter, and regularly washing hands and cleaning food areas, trash rooms, and bathrooms.

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We like this info page from the CDC about sanitation and hygiene:

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/sanitation/index.html

for Public Officials

  • FOLLOW LAWS! Unlike every other type of BSL-rated pathogen, 100% biological air-transmitted respiratory viruses like SARS-CoV-2 do NOT cause Sick Building Syndrome. Therefore, Properties cannot technically be declared a health hazard, although temporary emergencies for preparation can be declared.

  • FOLLOW PROCEDURE! Only appointed or elected Sanitation, Health, and Property Use, Occupancy, and Assembly Compliance Officers are empowered to enforce Sanitation, Hygiene, and Property laws as per their own individual department's codes. Citations, fines, and property shutdowns for non-compliance should include provisions for curing the violation.

  • Promptly remove trash and litter from public streets, sidewalks, and roads

  • Promote programs that remove organic trash from the main garbage stream, such as composting; this helps with rodent and pest control

  • Enforce existing laws and collect violation fees related to public spitting, littering, dumping, clean air, storm drainage, and other sanitation-related issues

  • And others!

for Properties

  • Re-read your applicable federal, state, and local regulations and make sure you are complying, especially for OSHA in your medical, food, and bathroom/toilet areas

  • Check over and clean or replace items that could have fungus, bacteria, mold, or mildew like HVAC drip pans, carpets, walls, and cabinets. These kinds of germs are especially bad for your lungs.

  • Remove garbage regularly

  • Clean all food eating and preparation areas per local health codes and laws; increase frequency during cold/flu seasons and other declared outbreak periods

  • Consider upgrading BSL-1 areas to BSL-2 areas during declared outbreak periods

  • Rinse sidewalks daily around outdoor eating and garbage areas

  • Avoid putting organic trash in the main garbage stream; this encourages rodents and pests

  • Post facility cleaning procedures and offer refresher courses

  • And others!

for People

  • Shower or bathe and wash your skin and change your clothes daily

  • Wash your hands with soap and water, especially before and after handling food or after using the bathroom.

  • Cover your sneezes and coughs.

  • Don't spit, urinate, defecate, or vomit in public.

  • Avoid spray aerosols and fine particulate disinfectants in non-medical environments unless absolutely necessary. THEY ARE NOT CLEANING PRODUCTS! THEY ARE POISONS THAT CAN DAMAGE YOUR LUNGS. Surfaces and spaces need to be flushed with fresh air and water before use.

  • And others

A lot of quality Preventive Care is just "basic commonsense grandmother advice," to safeguard yourself when the conditions allow. You don't need to be a professional to learn these things. But it sure helps to call a licensed Health, Safety, and Wellness professional for more info if you have access to one. And remember, the key to ANY good viral care response is "FIRST, DON'T HURT."

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